A substantial majority of millennial and Gen Z Americans perceive the world's wealthiest tech CEOs as "super villains," a sentiment that may be contributing to a rise in support for socialism, according to a recent survey.
The CNBC Generation Labs poll found that most respondents aged 18 to 34 expressed distrust in key figures within the artificial intelligence industry. Palantir CEO Alex Karp was deemed the most untrustworthy, with 81% of respondents indicating a lack of faith in his responsible actions and consideration for the public's best interests.
Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei each failed to earn the trust of three-quarters (75%) of young adults surveyed. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk all faced distrust from approximately 70% of respondents.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella emerged as the most trusted among those listed, though still viewed with suspicion by 65% of millennials and Gen Z.
One 28-year-old investor, who has a keen interest in the tech and AI sectors, described these executives as "super villains" who are "speeding up the end of the world." He stated that their actions appear driven by personal gain rather than the greater good, allegedly impacting environmental quality, water, air, and food resources, all while accumulating vast wealth.
This perspective marks a departure from a decade prior, when graduating millennials were eager to join major tech companies like Google, Facebook, and Apple. At that time, figures like Musk and Zuckerberg generally held positive approval ratings.
Another respondent recalled a past perception of Zuckerberg as an intelligent and creative individual who provided a valuable means of connection through Facebook. However, she observed that as these tech leaders accumulate wealth, the focus shifts from connecting people to expanding their empires, questioning the impact of immense fortunes like Elon Musk's potential trillion-dollar status on global issues.
Concerns were also raised about societal problems such as the housing crisis, food quality, and affordability of childcare and medical coverage.
Both respondents noted Sam Altman's past public acknowledgment that AI could potentially lead to the end of the world, interpreting such statements as evidence of a profit-driven mentality over public welfare.
The growing disillusionment with these high-profile executives appears to be extending to a distrust of government, which is seen by some as enabling unchecked corporate power. This sentiment is linked to an increasing embrace of socialism among young people.
The survey revealed that nearly half of the 1,000 Americans aged 18 to 34 surveyed hold favorable views of the Democratic Socialists of America. Concurrently, 80% of this demographic expressed negative views of the American economy.
Some individuals feel the government is failing to establish necessary regulations, allowing tech companies to operate without restraint, thereby harming the environment and public resources while concentrating wealth that could otherwise be reinvested for societal benefit.